Conservation Assessment for Dermatocarpon meiophyllizum Vainio May 25, 2007 Doug A. Glavich Author: DOUG A. GLAVICH is an ecologist for the USDA Forest Service Region 6, Siuslaw National Forest, Supervisor’s Office, Corvallis, OR, 97330 U.S.D.A. Forest Service Region 6 and U.S.D.I. Bureau of Land Management, Oregon and Washington 1 Table of Contents Disclaimer 3 Executive Summary 3 List of Tables and Figures 5 Introduction 6 Goal 6 Scope 6 Management Status 7 Classification and Description 8 Systematic and Synonymy 8 Species Description 8 Biology and Ecology 9 Reproduction and Dispersal 9 Range, Distribution, and Abundance 9 Habitat 12 Conservation 13 Threats 13 Conservation Status 13 Management Considerations 13 Research, Inventory, and Monitoring Opportunities 14 References Cited 14 2 Disclaimer This conservation assessment was established to compile available information on the aquatic lichen, Dermatocarpon meiophyllizum. This assessment does not represent a management decision by either the U.S. Forest Service or Bureau of Land Management. The best and most recent scientific information was used to prepare this document, but it is likely that new information will emerge. To aid further understanding of this taxon, please contact the Interagency Special Status/Sensitive Species Conservation Planning Coordinator in Portland Oregon if you can provide new information:http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/sfpnw/issssp/contactus/. Executive Summary Dermatocarpon meiophyllizum has only recently been discovered in North America (Glavich & Geiser 2004), due to misidentifications of this species as Dermatocarpon luridum. Dermatocarpon voucher specimens from all sites previously thought to harbor D. luridum in Washington, Oregon, and California have been analyzed and determined to not be D. luridum; most of the historic Dermatocarpon vouchers from these sites were D. meiophyllizum (Glavich 2007b). Given this recent determination, the name D. luridum is still in the process of being replaced by D. meiophyllizum in the Special Status/Sensitive Species and Survey & Manage Programs. Dermatocarpon meiophyllizum, however, is now included on the NatureServe list (NatureServe 2007), and it has replaced D. luridum on the Oregon Natural Heritage program’s rare, threatened, and endangered list—retaining D. luridum’s Heritage rankings: S1S2 (ORNHIC 2007). Washington and California Heritage programs have not yet ranked D. meiophyllizum, but like Oregon, the rankings will likely follow that of D. luridum. The global ranking of D. meiophyllizum in the Natural Heritage Program is G4G5, but a national rank has not yet been assigned. The Oregon List rank for D. meiophyllizum is List 3. Recent information should assist in assigning the status of D. meiophyllizum (Glavich 2007a). Dermatocarpon meiophyllizum was discovered in the Northwest Forest Plan (NWFP) area (western Washington, Oregon, and northern California) during a Forest Service and BLM funded aquatic lichen study. Many historical D. luridum sites were revisited during this study in 2002 and 2003, and all Dermatocarpon specimens collected from these sites were identified as D. meiophyllizum (Glavich & Geiser 2004). Thus, it was realized that D. meiophyllizum was confused for D. luridum, and that the management status in Washington, Oregon, and California actually belonged to D. meiophyllizum. D. luridum was added as Sensitive to the Forest Service Region 6 Sensitive Species Program in 2004. Since Dermatocarpon meiophyllizum has been misidentified as D. luridum in the past, D. meiophyllizum and D. luridum sites in Region 6 will be managed under the Forest Service Sensitive Species Program as D. luridum, until status and list updates are completed. 3 Within the NWFP area, D. meiophyllizum is known from the Klamath Mountains, Six Rivers National Forest north through the Oregon Cascades to the Olympic and North Cascade ranges of Washington. Most known sites are on federal land (Glavich & Geiser 2004), while two recently identified sites are not: Trask River, Tillamook Co. and Eagle Creek, Clackamas Co. (Glavich 2007b). Outside the NWFP area in Region 6, D. meiophyllizum was recently discovered on the Ochoco National Forest (Glavich 2006b). In Oregon and Washington it is also suspected, or may potentially occur, in the coast and eastside mountain ranges, especially the Wallowa mountains (Glavich 2007c). It also occurs in California’s Sierra Nevada range, Colorado, and Minnesota (Glavich & Geiser 2004). Globally, it is known from Finland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, and the British Isles (Heiðmarsson 2001). Dermatocarpon meiophyllizum is mostly found on the rocks of stream channels within the splash zone, but can be found submerged and up to 2 meters above the water surface (Glavich 2007a; Heiðmarsson 2001; Gilbert & Giavarini 1997). High elevation tends to favor D. meiophyllizum, but it has been found from elevations of 61 to 2300 meters (Glavich 2007a). Threats to this species may include a decline in water quality from upstream mining, agricultural runoff, and fertilizer runoff from tree plantations. In addition logging, road building and deconstruction/decommissioning, and other sediment generating activities near or upstream could impact this lichen. Because D. meiophyllizum occurs in habitats with some level of exposure (Glavich 2007a), habitat alteration that would shade population sites, such as trail bridge building and stream restoration (including down log placement and tree planting), may also constitute threats. At known sites, the following management considerations could be applied: Conduct an evaluation of potential threats at known sites, and develop site specific management plans Avoid activities near or upstream from the site that would reduce water quality; if these actions are unavoidable, consider mitigation measures to reduce or eliminate sediment pulses, chemical inputs, or other actions detrimental to water quality Maintain current environmental conditions at population sites including canopy closure, water quality, and sedimentation Avoid activities that might shade the population site Specific information needs to assist in effectively managing to meet conservation goals for this species include information about: Population growth rates Population site water temperature tolerance Population site microclimate parameters Nitrogen, phosphorus, and heavy metal tolerance Population dispersal distance 4 List of Tables & Figures Figure 1. Distribution of Dermatocarpon meiophyllizum................... 11 Table 1. Number of NWFP sites by state and land allocation……….12 5 Introduction Prior to the 2002-2003 Forest Service and BLM funded aquatic lichen study, all published studies including Dermatocarpon meiophyllizum were conducted in Europe (Gilbert 1996; Gilbert & Giavarini 1997; Gilbert & Giavarini 2000). Not only have very few aquatic lichen studies been carried out in North America, D. meiophyllizum was only recently recognized as occurring in the U.S. where it has been confused with other Dermatocarpon species, often D. luridum (Glavich & Geiser 2004). This confusion is not surprising as the genus Dermatocarpon is a morphologically plastic group and some species’ definitions were based on vague morphological features. More recent taxonomic investigations of Dermatocarpon (Heiðmarsson 2001, 2003) clarified morphological distinctions and have facilitated correct identification of species. Glavich & Geiser (2004) found D. meiophyllizum rather than D. luridum at all historical D. luridum sites revisited during the large- scale NWFP area wide aquatic lichen study. Goal The goal of this conservation assessment is to summarize the existing information on the biology and ecology of Dermatocarpon meiophyllizum. This assessment will also address potential threats to the species, research needs, and management considerations to assist land managers in achieving their objectives in species management. Information is drawn from recent works of Glavich & Geiser (2004), Glavich (2006b, 2007a, 2007b), and some analyses from the aquatic lichen study data performed for this assessment. There is concern for D. meiophyllizum because of its infrequency within Oregon, Washington, and northern California. Its rarity may be due to dispersal limitation. Reproduction and dispersal occurs primarily via fungal spores and the cause of its dispersal limitation is not known at this time. This question and others are addressed to facilitate adequate management of the species. Forest Service management for this species follows Region 6 Sensitive Species (SS) policies. Sensitive Species policy requires the agency to maintain viable populations of all native and desired non-native wildlife, fish, and plant species in habitats distributed throughout their geographic range on National Forest System lands. Management “must not result in a loss of species viability or create significant trends toward federal listing” (FSM 2670.32) for any identified SS. Scope The geographic scope of this assessment covers federal lands within the range of this species in Oregon, Washington, and northern California. Dermatocarpon meiophyllizum was only recently discovered in the Pacific Northwest. The location and site information covered is this Conservation Assessment are the new sites discovered by the aquatic lichen study and the historic D. luridum sites which have recently been correctly identified as D. meiophyllizum. 6 Management Status Dermatocarpon meiophyllizum has only recently been discovered in North America (Glavich